Idle Memories
by penguinfighter-d-chan
Summary: Love can make people do stupid things like keep mementos or sing the Rubber Ducky song, as Tim Speedle finds out a couple of memories Horatio keeps close. HoratioSpeed and HoratioMarisol. Chap 13 WARNING: Domestic Abuse
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Well look at that! Me writing romantic stuff! xD _

_Well this is after **Spin, Spin Sugar** so yes, Speedle's back. He lives with Horatio because his place has already been sold and there is no way in Hell the owners are giving it back._

_These are a series of drabbles I wrote because too much drama is bad for people_

_The CSIs (c) CBS, Daikonran Kino (c) my sister_

* * *

1, Like a Virgin…

Tim Speedle wondered around Horatio's house, mindlessly bored from no work. He moved in with his boss out of convenience; no one in the lab wanted to live with someone that was living-impaired. It was Horatio who took him in, causing MUCH controversy over at Internal Affairs. Ever since the Otis case wrapped up, the lieutenant looked as if a breath of new life had come over him, his blue eyes shone brighter and his smiles were wider. The man looked, for lack of a better word, _alive_. And Tim was to thank for that. Rick's disagreement was simply because of the man's status; he was dead.

Speedle roamed through the modest home, and without even thinking, fixed himself a sandwich. Along the way to the living room, the man spotted a mantle full of pictures from family and friends. Somewhere, he quickly noticed, there was only one picture of himself on the surface, one that became very intimate after the trip down memory lane.

* * *

To put it simply, it was everyone at the lab celebrating another year of working there. It was an informal karaoke, in which Calleigh found herself adored by many male fans for her rendition of "Like a Virgin" by Madonna. Back when said diva still had her Brooklyn accent. Speedle's motorcycle had broken down just hours before so he had traveled with his boss.

_Horatio was grinning, laughing to his heart's delight. Duquesne quickly mused her way into getting the lieutenant up on stage, but he slipped out due to "throat problems"._

"_Horatio Caine! Are you scared of a little sing-a-long?" she playfully inquired, the mic amplifying her voice._

"_No, I just can't sing to save my life." He responded equally as jovial and slipped back into obscurity. Tim chuckled as the man sat down and ate the last of the baby back ribs._

"_Well, well; Super Cop has a weakness."_

_Horatio glared mockingly as Calleigh and Valera started butchering the Divinyls' "When I think about you, I touch myself". Speed's laugh intensified, both from the musical massacre and from his response. _

"_Let's see you try it."_

_A quick flash and Alexx caught them on film chatting away about random things. It was so natural to see the redhead and the Syracuse native talk about anything under the rainbow and be so calm about it, from cases at work, childhood experiences, to how cheesecake and wine played a pivotal part on sexual relations. When the song finally finished, Tim was about to get the part in which whipped cream came into play when Yelina stepped in. He felt a slight tinge of jealousy as Horatio offered a slow dance. _

What the picture held so close to Speed's heart was what happened just before Caine went off to dance with Salas…

Horatio bent over just above Speedle's ear and whispered something that wasn't Spanish but in what seemed to be Portuguese. After the initial surprise that he knew said language, Tim waited until the dance was over to ask what Horatio had said.

"I simply told you that it's almost time to go…"A small pause and he continued. "Unless you want to walk home."

That night was as common as any other in Miami but it made Speed aware of other sides to his boss. Sides that could be welcoming or poisonous, sides he was willing to explore. Sides that he began to fall for and fall hard. Tim Speedle fell in love with his boss and Calleigh, being as perceptive and having a wild imagination, kept it a secret. Speed always thought that Heaven wouldn't be complete without Horatio.

* * *

The other pictures were of his mother and father, graduating from an unknown college, a picture of the New York sky, sightseeing in the Sunshine State, Ray's family and finally Marisol. Tim instantly figured out the chronological order of events and saddened, Horatio had come to Miami to escape New York.

_Speaking of which, where is H?_

After a quick search, Speed found him asleep on his desk, head cuddled between two arms. Horatio had stayed up from Friday night to the lovely Saturday morning only to snooze away. The man was about to shudder him awake when he found something peculiar on his desk; a Walkman CD player rolled on with its contents still spinning on low battery.

Speed noticed familiar dents and scratches on the CD player and carefully pulled the item from Caine's sleeping frame.

_This is my old CD player!_

His curious nature overtook him and opened the lid. Staring at Tim was Nickelback's The Long Road album, his name scribbled in Sharpie markers. Speed knew of Horatio as to be a more classically inclined man, not for alt-rock music but for the blues and the original rock and roll. He smiled sadly, this had been the last CD he ever heard before dying.

_The day after the fateful shooting, Horatio was clearing the locker in order to send Tim's personal effects to his family. After a while, his weary eyes stumbled upon a cloth case used to carry small equipment. He opened it and found the Walkman, still on the Hold mechanism, battery running dangerously low._

_Cautiously, he placed the earphones into his ears and listened to the rest of the song. Horatio instantly let go of his pride and wept. That was the last thing Speed had heard on his own time._

Speed leaned close and pecked a kiss on the mess of red hair. He always thought Horatio was a man, not a machine. But today, he recognized the sleeping lieutenant as a mourning but faithful lover.

* * *

A/N: So how was it? Reviews are welcome 


	2. Chapter 2

_a/n: Second chapter uploaded and I must say, I have fun with this one. _

_I think Horatio spent most of his time with Marisol laughing and vice versa. This is more of what I think should've been happening when he accompanied her into the chemo sessions. _

_Yes, treatment gets THAT boring._

_Horatio, Marisol and the CSIs (c) CBS, Daikonran (c) my sister_

* * *

2, Hospital Acting

Daikonran Kino, the preternatural expert at CSI, had been searching for evidence of Dr. Menandez's involvement in the TBB poisoning of thirty-two patients. Even if this wasn't his area of expertise, it made his blood boil that a fellow doctor had wiped his ass with the Hippocratic oath just to get his kicks. Playing hardball almost got him suspended by almost knocking the man's teeth.

_Glad to know I have double clearance…_He smirked, relishing in the fact that he was both a cop and a doctor; no doctor-patient confidentiality issue to deal with. More than once he had flipped the bird on IAB and he really didn't give a crap. Kino admired Horatio for he momentarily joined him in giving the one-finger salute to Stetler.

Daikonran was browsing security videos of the different wards over at Miami-Dade Hospital, trying to catch Menandez red-handed. What he found by mistyping a word was a treasure trove of security videos involving his boss and his late wife as she reported for chemotherapy. There had been rumors about how H spent his time with Marisol Delektorsky but most ended up in sex. Kino doubted that. He decided to watch the videos and enjoy himself at his boss' expense.

* * *

It wasn't Horatio's first visit to the Chemo ward at the hospital; Madison had been interned there until she was transferred to Texas for better treatment. But it was his first with Marisol. He watched as she signed in and showed the nurse her medical insurance card. Caine could tell she was very embarrassed and gave her quick but sincere smile. She replied with the same gesture, only beet red.

As the nurse connected her IV, Marisol sighed. "We're going to be here a while. You sure you don't want anything to eat? Or entertain yourself?"

Horatio shook his head. "I promised I'd be with you all the way." He placed his hand on hers as the liquid dripped. Marisol knew she had at least half an hour before the chemicals took effect and force her to sleep the pain off. In her mind, a little idea blossomed to pass the time and get her boyfriend out of his comfort zone.

"Moo like a cow."

Horatio's head shot up at the strange request. "What was that?"

"I think you heard me." The woman's smile became a grin as she noticed the lieutenant's face contort into confusion. "Moo like a cow."

It was Horatio's turn to blush; it was so random but he ruefully complied. "Moo."

Marisol cupped her free hand onto her ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Moo."

"Uh-uh, still can't hear anything." Horatio became exasperated and suddenly released a very big "MOO!" before realizing he had just made an ass of himself.

Marisol laughed heartily as her boyfriend turned into a tomato. "See? Was that so hard?"

Horatio became very silent and kept his eyes on the IV. Marisol sighed cheerfully as the idea continued to grow. "Say your favorite movie line."

Again, the lieutenant was caught off guard. Where were these requests coming from?! But seeing Marisol's smile made his pride softer and immediately started looking for any quotable movies he had seen.

"And don't say anything Oscar material; it won't count."

_There went my salvation…_The most recent movie he had seen on his own had been _Kill Bill Vol. 1_ and even though there were many moments from which anyone could call a quote from, that little voice that maintained his self image was too much.

Noticing the discomfort, Marisol cleared her throat. "Ok, I'll start this one but then you have to quote _and_ act it." She then raised her hands and bloated her cheeks.

" '_Daddy, I want a squirrel and I want it NOW!'_ See? No big deal!" the woman exclaimed happily. Although relieved that she had taken the first step, Horatio was now very worried for he had to improvise his movie quote. "It's from _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_. Johnny Depp was delicious in that movie." She giggled.

He gave up, stood from his chair and grabbed a nearby mop. He thanked his lucky stars and decided to further humiliate himself. Horatio raised the mop slowly but far enough from Marisol to act it out. He recited the line in its intended Japanese and its varying voice tones, waving his mop as it were a samurai sword. He yelled the last part and flicked the cleaning utensil onto the floor.

After getting over the fleeting mortification, Horatio heard Marisol clap energetically. "Wow! That was great! Though I didn't understand it."

Horatio explained as he replaced the mop to its rightful place. "It's from _Kill Bill_, just before the last chapter."

The woman's eyes lit up. "You mean before Uma Thurman's character faces off with Lucy Liu's? I didn't know of anyone who could learn that line in Japanese!"

Horatio grinned rather proud of himself. "Now you do."

After a few more cinematic acting on both the couple's part, the pain set into Marisol and she drifted to sleep while Horatio kept vigil. This woman was amazing; making him moo like an animal and act out lines like a movie aficionado on a dime. Caine removed some hairs from her face and smiled; Marisol was just like Speed…disarmingly beautiful in every sense and manner he could think of.

* * *

Being partially Japanese himself, Daikonran was very impressed with Horatio's acting but quickly pointed out flaws. Suddenly, he spotted said lieutenant and quickly minimized the window. As soon as he was out of range, Kino began to burn the videos into DVDs in order for him to go back into his internal investigation sanely.

_Wonder what else does H have to hide in these videos?

* * *

_

A/N: So how was it? Reviews are appreciated


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Third Chapter up and again Marisol tries her hand at comforting Horatio in her special way_

_I personally use this technique and it really does work_

_Daikonran Kino (c) my sister, the rest (c) CBS_

* * *

3, The Chucky treatment

Kino inserted the disk into his personal laptop and was about to click play when he spotted Calleigh Duquesne down the hall.

_Misery loves company!_ He thought as he dragged the ballistics expert into his office.

"If the prosecutor doesn't make his case because I missed giving him the evidence, I will sic his ass on you." Calleigh threatened under her breath while the younger CSI readied his computer.

"Believe me, It'll be _so_ worth it." Daikonran smirked. A window popped up and he clicked the command. "Ladies and Gents, Anger Management by Horatio Caine."

* * *

Marisol was her usual cheery self as Horatio signed her into the arrival list. Behind her back, she hid a small package wrapped in happy paper. While the nurse linked the IV, the woman handed the gift to her boyfriend. Caine, on the other hand, looked like something had crawled up his butt hole and died. His anger wasn't aimed at the woman, just his work.

"What's this, Mari?" Horatio asked as he opened the package. Inside was the most god-awful doll he had ever seen; an eye was missing, half of it was dipped in what Caine hopped was mud, and the clothes were tattered to the point of being unrecognizable. "Really, what is it?"

Marisol's smile softened. "A little bird told me that you were pissed." The lieutenant guess who was said avian rat was and eased up. "I just wanted to make you feel better."

Horatio looked at Marisol as she was crazy. "I would like to know how Chucky here is going to make feel better." The woman laughed at the comment and held up the battered doll.

"Vent out to it." Horatio knew there was something else going on so he was wary. The last visit, he had mooed and acted like a Japanese psychopath; what was Marisol planning? "Treat it like the person you're pissed at; call it by name."

_There we go…she's making me talk to inanimate objects today! _Horatio looked around and complied by sitting the doll up straight on his chair while Marisol watched. "Do I have to do this?"

"It's either that or let all that anger build up, let it loose and you'll end up hurting yourself and probably someone else." Marisol knew Horatio was a calm and controlled person but she knew there were things piling up within him. She wanted her man to be himself, not this controlled being.

"I am sick and tired of hearing how you keep degrading my team and dismissing their credibility, Stetler." She heard Horatio say with a monitored tone that seethed fury.

Mustering up the manliest voice she could, Marisol responded, "Is that the best you've got, Caine?! No wonder you're just a lieutenant! What do you really think of me?!"

Looking at the doll with a poisonous glare, Horatio smirked. "I think you're a shitbag with barely morals, a wife beater who dared hit my sister-in-law and need to have an internal investigation just so you could feel good about that low-end job!" He continued berating the toy for a good five minutes before catching his breath.

Marisol smiled once again, stopping the tirade at the right time. "Do you feel any better?"

Surprised, Horatio realized he really did feel better. He sighed relieved and sat back on the chair. He took the doll and said to it, "No hard feelings?"

The woman giggled as she took it back and put it in her purse. "None whatsoever." Her cellphone ringed with the intro to _Guns 'N Roses_ "Sweet Child of Mine", impressing the lieutenant. She couldn't answer it due to the medical equipment so the music rang until the caller gave up and dropped the call.

"You like that band?"

Marisol blushed. "I'm not a fan of them, just that song." She laughed a bit. "My last date could sing it from top to bottom. Shows how much I know about dating." She hissed in pain and after a few minutes of talking about her work as both a hotel front desk attendant and accountant, Marisol gave in and slept the remaining time away.

Horatio hummed the entire song three times while he waited for the treatment's last drop to enter her body. He smiled and took the doll from the purse.

"Thank you."

* * *

Calleigh's heart lessened at seeing her boss in such a peculiar situation. She knew he wasn't invincible but it felt good to see him vent out. Duquesne patted Kino's shoulder as she exited the post. Just down the hall, she spotted Horatio rummaging through his desk. He took out a box and opened it. The beaten doll sat firmly on the desktop.

* * *

A/N: So how was it? Reviews are welcome


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Next Chapter up!

Isn't this a bitch when it happens?

Horatio, Marisol and his team (c) CBS, Daikonran and Secondet (c) my sister

* * *

4, Cinco De Mayo

The day was already closing down and they were working on the Cervantes case. It had been a harsh one, public scrutiny wearing away at the lab's credibility. To be honest, the team deserved a bit of celebration. Eric signaled Valera to take out the shot glasses and line them up at the lab's break room. Calleigh took noticed and dragged Ryan and Speed from his post while calling out to the others. Kino was a bit perplexed but quickly realized what his coworkers were about to do as soon as the shift ended.

"All right who are the designated drivers today?" the Cuban asked with a grin. Tim had no choice, he couldn't get drunk even he tried; he had yet to replace his dead liver for a new one. Secondet, the youngest member, raised his hand. As an angel, alcohol had no effect on him. A can of Coca-Cola was another story.

The tequila bottle flashed while the DNA technician served up the shots. Horatio didn't approve of this activity simply because drunk CSIs were as bad as drunk lawyers; both hard to control and to shut up once they were sauced. His stomach did a quick number on him as he remembered his last Cinco de Mayo.

* * *

Horatio was nervous, to say the least; he wanted to make the night perfect from Marisol. His blue dress shirt, like at work, was unbuttoned and let loose; it was complemented with a black suit. Marisol wanted him to be casual but casual meant jeans and anything else he could catch. The date was in a Mexican restaurant that she had made reservations just two days prior.

Work and chemo treatments kept them from going out as frequently as they wished; the couple had only gone out only twice. Horatio made sure that he was not to be disturbed by the lab. When he arrived at her house, Caine's jaw dropped if but a second; Marisol looked beautiful. Her Chinese-style blouse accentuated all the right places; the black cloth pants and high heels made her look like she was from an ukiyo-e painting.

"_Guadalupe's_, ma'am?" he grinned. Marisol gave Horatio a mock glare. "Only if you don't call ma'am again."

The restaurant was lively with excitement; families and friends enjoying the Mexican festivities with music and spice foods. Marisol and Horatio sat down from a bit of dancing themselves as they waited for services. Her date's steps impressed the woman while the lieutenant found no surprise at her elegance.

"So what would it be?" the waiter asked with a smile.

"Um, a steak with chimichurri sauce and baked potatoes for me." Marisol replied while Horatio ordered. "Chicken al Ajo y Pique. Mild please."

The woman smirked. "Can't take the heat?"

The lieutenant shook his head humorously. "Not at all, I'd just like things to go down easy today. I promised you dancing, remember?"

"True." The conversation shifted to other subjects, both avoiding the subjects of their jobs. Occasionally, Marisol would nudge Horatio's legs, catching his attention whenever he drifted. After fifteen minutes, the food arrived; the smells making their mouths water.

"Buen Provecho." Marisol said as the couple took the first bite. This was looking to be a great date.

Thirty minutes later, Horatio found himself writhing in stomach pain while Marisol rushed through the causeway in his car. He grabbed his abdomen as if his life depended on it and groaned miserably.

"Mari, it hurts…"

"I know baby but we're almost at the hospital!" Marisol comforted, caressing his face while the stoplight flashed. They were just about to go out to a dance club when Caine complained of a small stomachache. And now it was unbearable. It even made him hallucinate for a minute.

"Mom, is that you?"

Now the woman became extremely worried, "Don't go to Mommy!"

At the hospital, the doctors diagnosed Horatio with a moderate case of food poisoning, which was aggravated by the spices used as condiments. Marisol watched as the internists pumped her boyfriend's stomach and placed him in IV antibiotics and antacids. They would remain overnight, Marisol now keeping watch over the sedated Horatio.

_Look at that, I'm the one taking care of him!_

* * *

That was the last time the lieutenant celebrated Cinco de Mayo, but he had no regrets about it. The whole point of a date is to spend time with each other. And they did. The only thing Horatio would've changed was that next time, he'd be careful about ordering chicken.

* * *

A/n: So how was it? Reviews are welcome


	5. Chapter 5

A/n: Next chapter up!

I decided to give H something weird that at least someone I know does it.

Horatio, Speed and Marisol (c) CBS

* * *

5. Horatio's Horror Show

Tim snuggled against Horatio late at night, who was surfing the TV channels bored out of his damn mind. Their hands were tangled within each other's, both lying on the couch. Contrary to popular opinion (i.e. Boa Vista and Stetler), the relationship wasn't purely sexual; it was comfort and rekindled love. Speed yawned not out of sleep but tedium. Suddenly, he remembered a past game he and Caine used to do at times like this.

"Hey, H."

Speed sat up straight while asking, "Do you still have the DVD collection I gave you for Christmas the year before I died?"

Horatio's interest peaked, "Of course. Which movie you want to laugh at first?"

Speed grinned while laying a kiss on Horatio's lips. "Let's start off easy and go with _Alone in the Dark_."

* * *

It was now Caine's turn to pick the date and curiously, he invited Marisol over to his house. He promised "Chips, drinks and a good time" which made her worry. She knew that Horatio respected her deeply but she had never seen him grin like the Cheshire Cat.

She reviewed her facts provided by Eric the first day after cooking his boss dinner: foremost, he was an orphan who grew up in the Bronx projects; he was an avid listener of any music due to his moving back and forth between Miami and New York (meaning he could take hip-hop and heavy metal and not wince in pain while listening to blues and country); and above all, he was very closed up about hobbies and any other miscellaneous detail about his personal life.

_Please let him be as fun as he is nice to me!_

* * *

Horatio cleaned up the living room area as fast as he humanly could. Working over-time at the lab made him neglect his own house, especially the beachfront porch which was lined with beer bottles from last week's reunion. He lived just off a beach in a modest 2-story cement home. During the tidal wave scare, he boarded up and was surprised that his neighborhood was out of the massive force's way. An acrid smell burnt his nose as he spotted a days-old sandwich and quickly disposed of it.

After finishing the monumental task of clean-up duty, Horatio dropped to the floor and rummaged around his video collection. No one in the lab could ever guess that Lieutenant Horatio Caine was a horror movie fan; his collection spanned from Alfred Hitchcock to George Romero to Rob Zombie. It was this eccentricity that Speedle used to buy him two DVD sets at one time. He took out one of those gifts and silently thanked his dead lover for such a wonderful gift. In the rush, Horatio forgot to hide the picture he had taken with Speed in such a beach get-together.

* * *

Marisol looked wonderful even in casual; her Capri pants, light pink tee, white sandals hid a blue-blown 60's inspired two-piece bikini. Horatio had also told her that they would be out in the beach for a while so she came ready. The man that greeted her was different from his usual attire; Horatio still had the atmosphere he brought from his job and life, only he was now donning a white shirt and a pair of work-worn jeans instead of the dark suits.

"Wow, you wear jeans." Marisol smiled as Horatio let her in his home.

"I don't work 24-7, Mari." The lieutenant insisted while serving her a glass of water.

"You sure act like it." While Marisol drank her glass, Horatio grabbed himself a can of fresh-cold coke soda and led the way to the porch. Too early for beer, he thought. The noon sun made the sands bleached white while the water shone clean and crystalline. He grabbed some beach towels, a cooler and an umbrella just in case. Giddy like a little girl whom this was her first beach, Marisol rushed to take her clothes off but had to stop to put on some sun block.

"I promise the beach is going to be here when you come back." Horatio assured with a kiss on Marisol's forehead as she grudgingly went inside. Once she came back, Marisol was now wearing an inflatable ring, a cap and water wings.

"I'm ready mother!"

"Ha ha, that was funny." Horatio replied sarcastically while taking off his shirt and walking over to the shore. Marisol took off the excess items and joined her boyfriend in the water. After ten minutes of splashing around like children, Caine went back into his home and returned with some goggles and air tubes while Marisol floated for a second.

"Put these on." He said as he put the goggles over his face. "Why?" the woman asked, mirroring the lieutenant. Horatio smiled. "Why else? We're diving."

After testing the air tubes and a few minutes of looking at nearby coral formations, the couple disappeared into the shallow waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Marisol held tight to Horatio's hand he guided her through the seemingly endless void of blue. A quick tug and she found herself looking at a school of angelfish. The surprise didn't stop there as the massive coral organization took shape beneath them. The colors took the accountant's breath away, as she followed a flowing group of rainbow fish, Horatio in pursuit.

As they both rose up to take a breather, Marisol was still excited. Horatio flicked off his wet red hair and greeted his girlfriend with a smile. "Did you like it? The dive, I mean."

"Of course! No wonder my brother likes being a frogman for you guys!" she giggled while she removed some sticky strands. "C'mon let's keep going!"

They continued diving and in the beach for a good time before the early sunset turned the water cold. With the goggles still strapped to his head, Horatio wrapped a towel around Marisol while they picked up the items left. In that moment, a neighboring family was also coming out of the beach and greeted them cheerfully.

* * *

As Marisol sat on the couch while Caine dressed himself, she could see the mantel photos all lined up. She looked at the range of memories her boyfriend had and grew fond. Then she spotted Speedle's picture.

_So this is Tim Speedle…I'll admit, Horatio's got good taste, looks good enough for me._

Eric had once told her that the lieutenant still mourned for him but he'd never let anyone see it. In that moment, Horatio sighed, startling Marisol. "Sorry you had to see that."

"No worries. I can tell that you loved him; no one ever keeps the ex's picture." The woman replied while nipping her love's lips. Horatio deepened the kiss for a moment then smiled. "Would you like something to drink before we get started?"

"Get started on what?" Marisol's curiosity shifted to the gleaming TV and the DVD player just waiting to be used. The last time a boyfriend had gotten a movie, it was gushing with love and tearjerker moments. The guy then used those emotions and tried to have his way with Marisol, causing her to smack him with a table lamp and running as fast as she could.

She was weary the similarity and backed away. Her biggest surprise came when Horatio showed her a DVD edition of _Manos, The Hands of Fate_. Horatio's face flushed as Marisol asked what movie it was. "Arguably the worst movie ever made."

It was then Marisol noticed the extensive movie collection the lieutenant had and mentally laughed for a moment. "You like bad movies?"

Caine became even more embarrassed. _Well, there goes my dignity._ "Horror. They make me laugh." He replied so quietly Marisol almost didn't hear it. The woman understood where he came and patted him on the back.

"Us morbid people, the rest just doesn't understand." She said in a humorous tone. Horatio looked up and saw a mutual bond with her. He then played the disastrous film while his date grabbed some popcorn. For the rest of the night, they laughed thunderously at the horrific scenes and poked fun at every detail they could. Once Marisol became sleepy, Horatio sent her to sleep on his bed while he kept watching the rest of the collection Speed had given him for Christmas prior to his death.

* * *

The night was again filled with laughter and parodies up until 4 am when Horatio decided to call it a night. Tim followed suit but not before stopping for a second. He could almost swear that for a second, he heard a woman laugh along with them.

* * *

A/N: So how was it? Reviews are welcome


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Next chapter up!

This was writtien for the inner slash girl inside me, with an insight into Speed's situation. If anyone is disturbed, I don't care.

characters in this chapter (c) CBS; Daikonran and Secondet (c) my sister; story (c) me

* * *

6. Rag doll

Speed couldn't help the floor creaking as he quietly sneaked into his bed. The night before Tim dragged himself into his post at the lab, he had partaken in an extensive drug raid helping out the night shift, without waking Horatio up. He tried to sneak a goodnight kiss but common sense hit the CSI, causing him to retract in disgust with himself. Speed then looked at himself in a mirror and saw what had stopped his romantic gestures: he was a walking corpse, nothing more nothing less.

_H just pities me…_

Tim attempted to shake off the thought but one more look at his inverted eyes reinforced the motion. The man lied down on the large couch in the living room and slept a dreamless sleep, like always. Speed always did his best to hide his condition but receiving five gunshots and still walking away was a taboo his coworkers never got over. _Tomorrow's another day at the lab…_

* * *

He rode his Ducati through the Miami sunrise; its pinkish hues imbuing the streets with color but not the man's spirits. To top off his grief, his ass was scheduled to be evaluated by IAB agent Rick Stetler. It almost seemed Friday the 13th to Tim but he wanted to be as normal as he could get. After parking the motorcycle and grabbing a coat, he grumbled at the thought of seeing that snide face so early in the morning.

Sure enough, Rick was there; waiting for his newest meat. Tim muttered a hello under his breath and simply walked over to his post, grabbing a couple of evidence envelops along the way. It was a poisoning case and it was today's task to find which one of the 500 listed venoms had done in the victim.

"Better not screw up, Speedle. Or you're going back into training."

"Anything's better than 'storage'." The man smirked as he read the previous analysis results. Throughout the morning, Speed greeted Eric with a weathered smile. After exchanging opinions about the case, the man found himself alone in noting chemical compositions…

* * *

His mind wandered into a quick nap following two consecutive hours of comparing molecular readings. For a moment, Tim dreamt of his previous life and felt lighter all of the sudden. _Must be the dream_, his subconscious explained while he drifted deeper.

Speed woke up, still feeling light and dazed. He quickly recounted his molecular comparison and went on to the analysis only to find himself unable to; just across the computer desk was his right arm, standing on its fingers like feet. The CSI was dumbfounded for a split second but quickly checked his body. He indeed was missing an arm.

Speedle tried to grab the limb, causing it to evade him mimicking a spider and mocking its owner before escaping through the door.

"COME BACK HERE!" He exclaimed, covering himself with a lab coat over his right side and chasing the arm down. This had never happened before!

Tim chased the limb fruitlessly through the lab, provoking horrified gasps from the newer recruits. It was quite hilarious to see a grown man pursue an arm once people got over the fact that it wasn't a prop. The CSI finally cornered his arm in an empty office, no escape left for the little rascal. "Got you now…"

"Tim Speedle, report to IAB now." Speed heard just beyond the doors and groaned; his day was simply PERFECT. And, when he returned his sights to his escaped body part; he found himself left-handed.

He was about to exit the room, carrying himself defeated by one of his own extremities when a certain someone interrupted his way out. Reclining against the doorframe was a smiling Horatio, holding in his hands Tim's right arm. "If I were you, I'd get this fixed."

Tim smiled sheepishly at Caine's statement. "I've never had this problem H, the arm I mean. It just crawled off its socket, for Christ's sake!"

The lieutenant grinned warmly. "Then come into my office."

* * *

Once Tim arrived at the spot; Horatio had pulled down the window shields and completely isolated the room. The red haired lieutenant then took out some fishing string, a half-spent spool of wire and a spindle of dark-blue cotton thread. He blew into a large sewing needle and; after properly wetting them with his lips, stringed the filaments through the hole.

"Sit down and stay still." Horatio quietly ordered. Speed followed suit and watched as Caine made the first stitch in its place. Both remained silent as Horatio sewed the arm back in its place; the blue thread standing out while the fishing string and the wire held the tissue in place.

"H, do you love me? Or do you pity me?" Speed asked under his breath as the lieutenant tied a knot to prevent any broken seams. Horatio placed a chaste kiss on Tim's lips and cocked his head before replying.

"I'd love you regardless what happened."

Speed's heart flipped but remembered the source of his doubts. "Even if I'm a corpse?"

Those blue eyes glistened with mirth. "Speed; you're not a corpse. You're like a rag doll, alive in your own right. End of story." Horatio then waved his hand dramatically. "Now you'd best go or Stetler might just rip your other arm."

Tim responded by grinning; maybe this Friday the 13th wasn't so bad after all. _I mean, bad luck is a figment of the imagination_. He quickly turned around and landed a swift lip lock to his boss.

* * *

A/N: Reviews are welcome


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: TWO YEARS...It's been exactly two years and one week since I updated this one! But at least you get three chapters for the price of one! Reviews are welcome

characters (c) CBS

* * *

The inevitable day of reckoning had arrived for one Tim Speedle. His coworkers and team members had done everything in their power to stop it from coming, especially Eric and Calleigh. Horatio had pulled off half a dozen of paperwork Houidinis and it still wasn't enough. Now all the team could do was prepare him for CSI hell aka Internal Affairs Evaluation Day.

Both the lieutenant and his ragdoll tried every trick in the book to try and make Speed a model CSI: shaving the stubble, ample gel use and the like. Tim even sneaked himself into a funeral home to get a free makeover to look more natural. Horatio then had to spend the entire day looking through five funeral services to find him before he was buried again.

"You look fine, Speed." Caine assured with a smile as he fixed Tim's collar. Said former assassin simply sulked. "I still look dead, H." Tim was wrong; he looked very much normal except for one little detail. "Your eyes…" Those inverted eyes… "Speed, they'll be evaluating your skills, nothing more." The lieutenant added while reinforcing loose threads. Ryan stood outside as lookout while Calleigh did her best to stall in Internal Affairs.

"Here's the provisional case Stetler's assigned for the test." Eric announced as he entered Horatio's office with a manila envelope. "Did he give you any trouble?" Caine asked, looking up to Delko. "Surprisingly no. Apparently the lab's so understaffed that they'll give the job to just about anyone, no offense." "None taken. Let's get on with this; I have a couple of real cases to work on." Horatio placed a quick peck on the CSI's forehead. "You'll do great."

The lieutenant had complete and unquestioned faith on Speed but he couldn't see it reciprocated. The team had spent weeks reviewing protocol and evidence procedures but the hovering doubt was still there. "They'll chew him up if he shows weakness even once." Eric warned remembering his own evaluation just two months prior. "We'll know soon enough." Caine looked at his watch and raised his eyesight to spot Speedle enter IAB.

"Name." Agent Carl Sommers read dryly. "Timothy Speedle." The agent cocked an eyebrow and faced the candidate. 'So the rumors were true; he did come back from the dead…' he thought snidely. "Date of Birth." Tim answered the question unaware of the next one. "Date of death." Tim was off-guard for a second but thankfully no one saw it. "August 15, 2005. Oh and to answer the next question, gunshot to the left lung." Stetler's face had a look that Horatio would've given his gun and badge to see, a mix of surprise, career-bound horror and resentment towards the mentioned lieutenant. The menial questions kept going, Agent Sommers asking, Speed responding and Rick dying just a little inside.

"Well, that concludes the interview phase. Let's see your performance on the field." Speed surprised everyone as he collected evidence from the examination crime scene and processed it in almost record time. He also received outstanding marksmanship in target practice. After two more hours of examination, both Stetler and Agent Sommers had no choice but give the former assassin his certification back.

The entire team was held up in the main conference room, waiting for Speedle's results. As soon as Tim walked in, everyone ganged up on him. "So?" Horatio asked; head cocked to the side. Speed quietly handed Caine a small piece of paper that had an 82 written down in red ink. "What the hell?! Damn bastards didn't give you a perfect score?" Calleigh spat. "Keep reading." Tim replied rather annoyed. In the comments section of the evaluation, the note read:

_Excellent workmanship and marksmanship; presents doubts about loyalty to the Police force in regards to confidentiality._

"That's bullshit! If they were disqualifying CSIs for that, Ryan would be out of a job!" Delko remarked, causing Wolfe to yelp, "Hey!" "Stelter just wants to spite H, don't take it too seriously." Calleigh assured, rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the comment. Only the lieutenant remained quiet, if only to let go a sigh. The silence terrified Speed to no end; had he failed his master? Or worse, was he going back to storage?

The rest of the day came and went, but the image of Horatio just standing and saying nothing was painful for Tim. Once at the car, he couldn't help but say something. "I'm sorry I messed up." "You didn't; you did an amazing job." Horatio comforted his coworker with a smile. But Caine knew what the question meant. "Speedle, what happened in there was just them trying to flesh out any remaining alliance to Marla." "But you didn't say anything."

Horatio cocked his head and sighed, "This day, reminded me of your first evaluation." Tim dusted off the memory and grinned rather sheepishly; almost thirteen years earlier, he had just come in from the academy and did so many rookie mistakes that he was assigned into a desk job near Horatio's bomb squad. "Holy crap; you still remember that?" "I try not to forget." Caine chuckled.

"I'm just glad you're back." He murmured as he landed a quick kiss on Speedle's clean-shaven cheek. "Now, let's go apologize to that funerary director you scared the living shit out of."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: 'Nuff said in the storyline. Reviews are welcome! Characters (c) CBS  


* * *

Live Your Life

It was a rare idle day at the Caine household…until Marisol decided to turn the television. "The football game's on." She managed to mention before Horatio came down the stairs wearing a Miami Dolphins sweater surprised her from behind. There was a moment of awkward silence between them, especially when Mari herself was wearing a rival team's shirt.

"Ok, how are we going to do this?" the accountant broke the quiet scene. "Well, I can have the beer and you can have---" Horatio started before Marison playfully interrupted. "What? You think I don't drink a beer on a football game because I have two sweater warmers up here?" "I never said that. In fact, you can down a keg faster than I can, which is amazing." Caine retorted with a smirk as he passed the snacks to her.

"Horatio Caine! How dare you insult me! For that, when my team wins, you're gonna do a chicken dance!" Mari threatened lightheartedly. That posed a problem for Horatio; a forty-eight-year old man doing a chicken dance while his entire work team watched was not something he was NOT looking forward to. But Marisol always managed to get him to enjoy himself. "If my team wins, you're going to run out the beach and run a full circle…" "Seems tame enough." _Oh, you want more?_ "Topless, then."

The accountant was surprised at how direct her boyfriend was but she smiled anyways, now he had something to look forward at the end of the game.

The game was close, just a down on each side would declare the winner. Both Horatio and Marisol looked intently at the screen, even more so than Frank and Ryan (who had made $500 in wagers with Calleigh, Eric and Cooper). "Robinson is taking the ball aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand TOUCHDOWN! TORONTO WINS." "WHOO! PAY UP, FRANK!" "_Puñeta_…HOW?!" Eric scrambled to comprehend why the Dolphins lost. "_¡Que MIERDA!_"

"Oh shit." Was the only thing Horatio managed to say when he turned around to face his girlfriend's face; Marisol was gleaming. "I prefer the Hip-Hop Chicken." The Delko daughter replied, catching her brother's attention. "What's going on, Mari?" "That." She responded as she pointed to Horatio taking a deep, long breath.

The next minute would be engrained into the guests' mind for the rest of their lives as their boss, a normally stonewall of a man, performed for them the Hip-Hop Chicken. "What the hell, Horatio?!" Tripp croaked, causing everyone to laugh a bit. "I lost a bet." Caine replied, glaring at his girlfriend. "Wow…"

But Marisol noticed how what she thought uncomfortable the whole thing made Horatio, so she stood up and stepped outside. Once there, and to the surprise (horror, in Eric's case), she took off her shirt in the nightly beach and started running. Once a full circle was run, Marisol picked up her shirt and put it back on.

Not long after that, as the two were left alone, Marisol pecked Horatio's cheeks. "Hope that more than made up for making you dance." She said sweetly. "It did…" the older man replied as he served up the last of the wine. "But you are aware I was acting, right?" he dropped loud enough for her to hear. _You mean…!!! _"You ASSHOLE! I JUST RAN A CIRCLE WITH ONLY MY BRA AND THE NIGHT BREEZE ON!" she exclaimed. With a playful grin, Horatio sprinted off, giving himself a head start in what could be a life-or-death situation as Marisol chased him around his own home.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This takes place right after _Between Angels and Insects_, when H is taken to the hospital. Reviews are welcome! Characters (c) CBS

* * *

Ruby

As Horatio lay on a stretcher headed for surgery, he couldn't help but pick up the scent of sunflowers…

He woke in a field of the aforementioned flowers, feeling no discomfort or trauma from being Archimedes' pet for the last 72 hours. "Crap; I died on the table." Horatio groaned inwardly. "No you didn't; if you would've, we'd be at my office," a familiar voice clarified from behind. The lieutenant practically flipped around and his eyes widened; standing in the field with him was his late wife Marisol, dressed in a flowing Sunday dress. Horatio felt the air in his lungs escape as he stuttered her name.

"It's been a while, H." Marisol added softly, kissing her husband's lips sweetly. "I have to be dead." "No you're not. You're just sleeping." "Then this is a dream," the man sighed, disillusion evident in his voice. "No, this is real, trust me." Marisol then explained where they were: in the welcoming area of Purgatory. "You're not making this any easier, Mari." Horatio said even more confused than before, causing the woman to laugh. "Let's just enjoy the moment; you look like you've been through a lot the last few days."

The couple walked around the field as they caught up with one another. Marisol managed to get a position something called the Soul Review Board, where dead people would have their 'records' checked before crossing over to either side. "When Riaz came through me, I slammed the book so hard on him; went straight to hell." "There's bureaucracy even here? That doesn't sound right." Horatio joked.

"Hey, at least I get a TV set in my cubicle, where I watch the best shows." Marisol continued. "Oh really? What are those?" the woman blushed for a second then answered, "You and Eric." The lieutenant chuckled before picking a sunflower for his wife. "Glad to see you're entertained." "Believe me; I have my hands full with the squirt."

This answer perplexed Horatio to no end and asked who the "squirt" was. Marisol sighed but kept her spirits up when she called a "honey" and waited for a moment. A few rustles among the tall plants later and the lieutenant got his answer: a precious little girl stepped out of the sunflowers wearing a bright red dress that seemed to be missing a hat by Marisol's reaction. But what immediately struck Horatio were the girl's features; she had wavy dark hair and startlingly blue eyes.

He knelt down and tried to greet the girl but she instantly ran to Marisol's side and hid behind her skirt. "You lost your hat, huh?" The woman asked the child, who in turn looked up and responded in a surprisingly stern voice, "I hate hats." The girl then turned her attention to the strange red-haired man 'hogging' Marisol. "Who's he?" "Honey, this is Horatio." Marisol responded then said, "Let's go home for snacks."

As Marisol served everyone their drinks, Horatio watched as the little girl grabbed her glass of orange juice and her plate of animal crackers then hurried off to her play table. "She's beautiful," he remarked. "I know." Mari replied while putting away the drink. "How old is she?" "Three in two weeks." It didn't take long for Horatio to figure it own and added, "Eight months after you died."

The woman exhaled and sat down next to him. "I meant to tell you on our wedding day but I never got the chance." Marisol started, putting her hands over his. Horatio was stupefied at the thought when he whispered, "That's our child." He would've been a father had fate not intervened. Marisol quickly picked up on her husband's emotions and said, "Don't do something stupid just to be here; I could never forgive myself if you did."

To liven up the mood, the woman shifted the conversation with, "She doesn't have a name." "That's very irresponsible, Mari." The lieutenant replied with a soft smile. "She doesn't want to respond to whatever I call her so I gave up." Marisol explained, reflecting her husband's expression.

Horatio then decided to meet his nameless child and sat next to her in her play area. "Hi there." "Hello," the little girl replied while pulling back her unruly hair. "I heard your name was Horatio. Mommy told me my dad was a man named Horatio too." She continued while playing with a doll. "That she did. She also said that you don't have a name." The lieutenant said, observing the child's maneuvers. "Yeah but I want my daddy to give me my name." the girl concluded.

"Well, what color do you like?" Horatio inquired, noting the prevalence of reds and pinks in the child's playthings. "Red, pink, white, yellow, but I really like red." "Then how about 'Ruby'?" Caine suggested. The girl lit up at the sound of the word. "I like it." The child then ran up to her mother and said with a brilliant smile, "Mommy, Daddy called me Ruby!"

Both parents were surprised silent until Marisol was able to say, "Well, Ruby it is. Now put away your toys, Daddy has to leave now." The news broke Horatio's heart but one look at Ruby waving in her mother's arms and he felt at ease. "Don't worry Horatio; we'll be here when you come back." Marisol bid him farewell by placing a kiss on his lips before he drifted away as the anesthesia wore off…

A couple of months later, an orderly entered into Horatio's office. "Sir, Kyle Harmon says there's a little girl waiting for you over at the medical examiner's table. "Oh?" the lieutenant stepped out of his desk and headed straight to the ME offices. From the Entrance door windows, he spotted Kyle playing a little game with a three-year old with untamed dark brown hair and a red petticoat. "Excuse me miss but…" Horatio started off until he saw her bright blue eyes. "Hi daddy."

End


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This side story will apply to the rest of the arc…note that _chevalier_ is French for "knight"... the following three stories deals after _Dog Soup_, ok? Reviews are welcome! DISCLAIMER: CSIs (C) CBS, Daikonran and Secondet (C) my twin

* * *

Side Story: Chevalier

Ryan Wolfe wasn't one for gore; not since being zombie bait three times too many. But watching the surgery performed on his boss that fateful day hit a nerve. As he stepped out of the observation room for a moment, he also felt strangely light-headed. _I've seen worse crime scenes…_ He, like the rest of Horatio's CSI team, hoped and prayed he'd make it out of the operation alive.

Eric Delko remained glued to his seat as each wing was stretched out from his body and cleaned of all blood. He knew his boss was one in a million but being an angel took the proverbial cake. His head weighed for a second but he swiftly regained composure; he didn't want to miss a second of this.

Next to the door was a broken Tim Speedle, his eyes closed shut and unable to meet with the grisly sight. Like everyone else, he was surprised at the turn of events that occurred but they did nothing to relieve his guilt. Simply put, he had failed Horatio; the bruises and broken bones were a testament to that fact. But for some reason, he felt warmth creep up from the very wound that had killed him in the first place and reach his entire body to the point that he was uncomfortable.

Once the surgery was over, everyone in the Operating Room had a chance to truly take in the event. But three days after the Cathleen Homer case was finally closed, some strange things began happening to those three CSIs that defied rational explanations…

The first event was something as meaningless as a paper cut. Speedle was organizing his notes when he felt his thumb sting. In reflex, he flinched, causing blood drops to smear his works. "Shit!" he muttered as he located the wound. A small slit on the top of his finger was the cause for such attention, making the hardened CSI to roll his eyes and reach for a bandage when he remembered a very important fact about himself…

"Wait a minute; I'm a ragdoll…I don't have a normally functioning circulatory system, at least I shouldn't," he thought out loud. _Nor should I feel any pain that isn't Horatio's…what the hell?!_

00000

The second event took place in the lab's parking lot, where Ryan and IAB agent Rick Stetler got into a heated argument. "I don't care if Horatio told you to, that is against this lab's protocols! He shouldn't have negotiated anything with any known criminal, especially someone as dangerous as Ruez!" Stetler retorted to whatever he and Wolfe were fighting about.

"It had to be done otherwise we would've never been able to solve the case!" Ryan once again disputed; this was getting annoying very quickly. As his irritation grew, so did the ground begin to vibrate under their feet. Both men didn't take notice of the not-so-subtle changes and continued their argument until the IAB decided to reprimand the CSI with probation before going back to his office.

"Fuck!" Ryan yelled before he punched the nearest support column to let out some steam. As soon as his fist landed on the cement, a spike sprouted violently from the parking lot floor and sent a car flying twenty feet in the air and landing on a nearby empty lot. "Whoa." Wolfe croaked as he looked at his hand; that wasn't just a coincidence.

And to prove that it wasn't any coincidence, the CSI struck the floor. Another spike made of cement materialized just a few feet from the man, making his eyes widen and his jaw dropped. "Either I'm dreaming…or I may need to call a doctor," he reasoned but not before letting his inner child have some fun with this particularly unannounced gift.

00000

The last event dealt again with an angry CSI but for different reasons. Eric was looking over the evidence on a rape case he had been assigned to: the circumstantial evidence told him the suspect had done it but he couldn't place him for the crimes. The bastard even mocked Delko's evidence-collecting skills; the bastard had called them "sub-par". _The evidence points to Mr. Wayne…goddamnit_, he repeated over and over in his head as he grabbed a drink over at the break room, not really paying attention to his surroundings.

As Eric fumed, the water cooler boiled alive while the sink trembled with building pressure. "Hey, Eric!" Calleigh greeted him with a smile, interrupting Delko's train of thought and obliterating whatever restraint all the water had in the small area. Instantly, both the sink and the water cooler gallon exploded. "What the hell?!"

The CSI noticed both Ryan and Tim running towards Trace and went ahead and followed them. Kino was about to eat a piece of cheesecake when all three grown men burst in. "There better be a good reason for you three to interrupt my snack-slash-tea time," he growled as he placed his meal on the desk. But once Dai heard their stories, he wasn't at all surprised; in fact, he looked quite relaxed.

"You should be honored…I was wondering who he would pick," the preternatural expert commented. "What do you mean?" Eric questioned, still confused at their predicament. "When an angel deems it fit, it chooses its _chevalier_. Quite simple really," Kino explained while sweetening his drink. "Cheva-what?" "Chevalier; it's the French word for 'Knight'. It's always somebody whom the angel trusts implicitly and is willing to part with part with some of its power to him or her. Horatio opened his wings late in life so his subconscious must've decided to split it three ways…or possibly more."

"Then if I got a second chance at life, Wolfe and Eric got power over earth and water…then who the hell got fire?" Speedle analyzed before he saw Stetler take off, set in a small fire. "That would be me, gentlemen," Horatio replied from behind with a smug grin before continuing on his way. _This is going to be fun…_


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Update with a borderline obscene amount of morbid HoraMari fluff before I update _Death Pearls_. After Marisol died in the canon, I noticed something: they never had a proper reception! So, in honor of that tradition, enjoy! Reviews are welcome! CSIs, Ron Saris, Mari (c) CBS, Dai and Sexie (C) my sister, Ruby (c) Me

PS: _Corpse Wife_ is used as an ironic term but don't worry about necrophilia, Marisol's alive for this instance; no icky questioning-yourself XD

* * *

Story: The Corpse Wife

Ron Saris was cashing his informant check when he spotted a couple of patrol cops start decorating the Reception area with white flowers. "What the? Ricky, you having a party tonight?" he smirked to one IAB agent Rick Stetler, who replied with a disdainful roll of his eyes. "That's none of your concern, Mr. Saris." "Another thing I've noticed today…I haven't seen Red around these parts, not that I mind though," the scourge continued prodding until Stetler shut him up with, "You want him all over you then? If I were you, I wouldn't piss him off this of all days."

Warning well taken but ignored, Ron hurried off and located technicians and CSIs chatting amongst themselves while helping out with the décor. _Whatever's happening, I want in on,_ he concluded with greed and malice evident in his scarred features.

Horatio gulped down for the seventh time in a row as he straightened out his bow tie for the tenth time, much to Speedle's humor. "You keep at it, you're going to break it," the ragdoll grinned as he slapped his master's hands away from the guilty tie. "Speed, I think I have cold feet," the lieutenant stated, causing a roar of laughter from all the men in his team. "You got married before, H, nothing a good beer won't fix," Frank chuckled as he handed his friend a cold one over at the Break Room otherwise known as the Bachelor's Room. "Or twenty," Ryan added only to have his boss glare at him.

The clock struck 7:15, prompting Speed to say, "Ok everybody, time to file out! Dead man walking!" "Amen to that," Horatio toasted to all before exiting the room. Unbeknownst to anyone present, Saris followed them out of the lab and into a strangely lit warehouse.

00000

Meanwhile, Calleigh, Natalia, Sexie and Alexx waited around the Miami Cemetery in their bridesmaid dresses, all waiting for the guest of honor to arrive from a crypt down below. "I hope she likes the dress we picked out for her," Boa Vista said while mindlessly picking at her bouquet. "It's a Vera Wang, she'd _better_," Dr. Woods commented with a bit of sass; they had all contributed to the wedding dress as well as their own.

The first person to come out of the mausoleum was a skittering Ruby with her pretty flower girl dress sans hat. "Where's your hat, sweetie?" Calleigh inquired. Her response came when Marisol arrived in a flowing strapless A-line gown and matching veil. "Next time, don't give her hats; she loses them on purpose," the bride replied while handing over the hat.

"You look beautiful," Duquesne complimented to the jittery bride while she fixed her veil religiously. "I can't believe I'm doing this," Marisol said under her breath as their limousine for the night circled around and shuttled them to her wedding.

00000

Through the course of the day, the nearby warehouse had been transformed into a full blown wedding recreation; champagne was served to the guest while a cake was assembled on the other side. Friends and family celebrated what had been so wrongfully taken years ago.

Horatio sat alone on the wedding table, watching his coworkers enjoy the night; he could see Dai and Sexie dance along with Ryan and Maxine to a quick song while Calleigh and Eric exchanged stories with Speedle and strangely enough, Stetler while serving up some drinks. _Maybe this is all but a dream…_he doubted momentarily but once he saw Kyle talk with Ruby, his fear was gone.

The music suddenly switched to 'Here Comes the Bride', prompting everyone to stand up from their seats. Delko's mother broke into tears of happiness as the promise her son made her three weeks' prior came true: she saw her daughter, her baby Mari, walk down an aisle. Horatio's heart fluttered at such a beautiful sight while Marisol tried her best to retain her tears as they both met at the end of the runway.

"Everyone, please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Caine!" Kyle, the MC assigned for the event, announced with slight confusion; wasn't his father a widower? And he was right but in this case, death had a loophole; both Marisol and Ruby had been allowed to spend twenty-four hours in the realm of the living.

But this fact was far from the couple's minds as they danced their long-overdue First Waltz. Marisol rested her head against Horatio's heart as she whispered, "I wish I could stay here forever." "Me too," Caine replied in an equally low voice. As others joined them on the floor, Ron had unscrupulously sneaked into the private affair.

Once there, the con man got the fright of a lifetime once he actually observed the dancing crowd; he saw the lieutenant slowly but surely lift off the ground, happily dancing with his bride from above most of the guests. "What the FUCK?!" Ron had to restrain himself before someone caught him and so, he ran off before anyone noticed his presence.

Horatio's team watched as he and Marisol slowly returned to the floor and stifled a few laughs at their boss's expense. "New trick?" Marisol asked with a wily smile, arousing a laugh from her angel husband. "I can do it in the bed, if that's what you're getting at," he shot back, reflecting her grin and mischievous attitude; the honeymoon night would be most interesting.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Based on the 8th Season Premiere, how Horatio and Speedle first met after Jesse left for LA (yes, I've been reading up on the season). Horatio looked like a cute dork, admit it. Reviews are welcome! characters (C) CBS  


* * *

1997

Thirteen years prior to the events discussed; the facts were these: Detective Horatio Caine was 39 years, two months and 3 days old when he first got the notification that there would be a separate building for all forensic investigations and research, a crime lab of sorts. But that would take a while before materializing so he set out to construct his team.

First off was that awfully chipper transfer from Louisiana, one Calleigh Duquesne, fire arms experts. With her sunny disposition, Horatio felt his work flutter by. The second element to his team would be long-time and sparring partner, Eric Delko. _Eric's just the man for the job…_he thought as his fingers twiddled with his desk phone and his newly acquired sunglasses. A sudden jolt of pain on his back reminded him of an old injury from the bomb squad and the fact that until Alexx gave him the go-ahead, he'd be stuck with light-magnification glasses.

_Sully calls me 'squint' enough times, these glasses don't help!_ He mentally noted; his eyesight had suffered from temporary glare from a detonation. He returned to file the case he had solved with forensic knowledge, not just on first impression and baseless hunches when he heard his name being called.

"I'm looking for Det. Horatio Caine," a young man with wild dark hair and wearing a thoroughly weathered bad shirt inquired with a folder in his hand. "That'd be me, who's asking?" Horatio replied; his hand reaching the mystery man's to shake. "My name's Tim Speedle; Jesse Cardozza recommended me?" he responded with slight awkwardness; Jesse told him Horatio looked slightly bookish compared to the other cops but jeez! This guy was, for lack of a better word, "A dork", two words which by fate's cruel hand slipped out of Speedle's mouth.

Horatio quickly caught on to the funny stare and asked, "What?" "I-I expected Det. Sullivan to be here as well." "Det. Sullivan is not part of the proposed team," Caine said with sarcasm evident in his voice. _Don't think I heard that one…suddenly I have the urge to sent Cardozza a welcoming gift…_ "Anyways, let's go meet with your coworkers, shall we?" the senior officer concluded as he took off the bothersome glasses and led his new recruit to the Evidence Area. _Whoa…guy's got a stare that could kill…_

The rest of the day was spent as Tim was shown around the uncomfortably small work space and getting to know Calleigh during her shift. "Your work will consist of analyzing any trace evidence that do not include any firearms; that's my job," Duquesne grinned as she fired two shots into the test tank. "By the way Horatio, I need some ballistics gel for a case I'm working on; would you mind getting some from the fire range?" Horatio grinned as he replied, "Whatever I can sneak under the District Attorney's nose; he's been hassling me for budget or some other nonsense."

"Wow, understaffed and over budget, I think I'm going to enjoy working here," Speedle smirked, arousing a chuckle from his boss. "Get used to it; the more cases we revise, the harder it'll get," Horatio sighed earnestly; he felt strangely at ease with this new blood. "Hey, H!" both men heard a male voice call from behind.

"Hey Eric! This is Speedle; he'll be joining us in Trace," "Nice to meet you…you still up for this weekend's game? A couple of guys from Flagger's are betting good money against the Dolphins but you and I know the Cardinals are just going to fuck it up by the third down," Delko said. "Will there be beer?" "Of course," In the most dead-pan tone, Horatio replied, "I'm in and put $300 on the local team; I smell an easy victory. You in, Speedle?"

The question caught Tim off-guard and absently replied "Yeah," As Eric bade Caine farewell, Horatio put his hand on Speedle's shoulders and stated, "You have now made a promise that just cost you at least $150." As the detective reentered the Miami-Dade Police Department, the new guy snapped out of his confusion and yelled, "Wait, WHAT?"


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: By now, you must be wondering/asking yourself "Where did Horatio and Ray get their angel heritage?" since it was established to be hereditary back in _Dog Soup_? Well, since we're in the subject of past events, why not get this out of the way? Be warned: this deals heavily with abuse. Reviews are welcome, Horatio, Raymond Caine (C) CBS

* * *

Darling

The clock read 10:23 pm but for Dominique Caine the hours seemed days as she held her sick child, trying to coo it asleep. For 228 years, she survived wars, pestilence and seen so much…seeing her darling cry incessantly broke her once frozen heart. The doctors told her at first it was just a cold, then they told her it was infantile pneumonia; he just kept getting worse. The baby squirmed and coughed as tears ran across his face; looking dreadfully uncomfortable.

"Please, my _Tesoro_, my darling, tell me what's wrong," Dominique wept bitterly; for all her years in existence, she just didn't know what to do. She thanked God that John had gone out to drink or he would've aggravated the situation by yelling at the poor boy.

Three years earlier, John wasn't the abusive drunkard and Dominique wasn't a powerless housewife. In fact, Dominique had once been an angel...so how did she fall from grace? The reason now crushed her hope: she had given up her place in the Sun to be with that man. John knew his wife was an angel and, to be perfectly honest, it wouldn't make much of a difference; he beat her frequently for being a 'freak of nature'.

They were once madly in love but the illusion John had made for Dominique slowly but surely shattered under their own weight. The angel would've left the sorry excuse of a man a year ago had she not discovered that her marriage had been consummated in its most physical form: a child.

As the baby developed in her womb, the hatred the angel felt for her spouse was replaced by unconditional love for this creature. In the brief respites where she could sit on Central Park and enjoy the morning breeze, Dominique would put her hand over her expanding abdomen and lull it with her lyrical voice she thought she had lost. As much as she wanted to fly, Dominique stayed on the ground and watched the birds do it for her. She even gave 'her darling' a name: Horatio, for the author of the books she read to him.

But now, her one and only treasure in the putrid world writhed in her arms in what seemed like extreme pain and suffering. None of the local hospitals seemed to know what was wrong with him. He had been born a normal baby boy, his blue eyes instinctively locating his mother and father. It was only two weeks later that Horatio began to get sick for no discernable reason; first it was the cough, then the pains came in soon after.

When Dominique tried patting his soft back to burp him after a meager meal, she finally figured out what was wrong with Horatio. Carefully, she flipped her son, removed his onesie and felt around. Just above where the shoulder blades were two small discolored bumps; a sign that made the mother sigh in both relief and uncertainty. _My baby's just like me,_ she reasoned as she pulled back her stray red hair.

She then came to the horrible realization: John would kill Horatio if he found out! He made that fact perfectly clear once Dominique told him she was expecting. In addition to that, the wings were deformed and were possibly infected, making the boy terribly sick. The angel made the heart-wrenching decision and went to the kitchen for a couple of materials.

As to distract the neighbors of what she was about to do, Dominique played Beethoven's Fur Elise at the highest volume possible while disinfecting her paring and meat knives with rubbing alcohol. "_Tesoro,_ this will only hurt for a while…I promise," the desperate woman assured her sleeping child before cutting open the growths. The baby screamed, almost killing his mother on the spot from grief but it had to be done.

Two tiny wings popped out, causing Dominique to weep at the mutilation she was about to do. Using the paring knife, she swiftly severed the appendages and, using what was left of her healing touch, sealed the wounds. She tried to throw the bloody wings away but couldn't find it in her heart to part with them so she put them in a small metal box and hid them in a secret hole on the home's wall. _One day, I'll be able to tell you, darling_, she assured her now resting son, _but for now, you'll be just like your father…_Her next child came four years later but no such procedure had to be done; Raymond never once got sick the way Horatio did…her little angel had been strong so John never suspected a thing…

00000

Twenty-two years later, as Dominique's last breath escaped her badly beaten body, she saw her boy bust into their home, just as John was about to deliver the killing blow. Recently graduated from the police academy, Horatio reluctantly brandished his issued gun and fired twice into her father's chest.

"Mom!" the young man kneeled down to hold his mother in his hand as Ray ran to her side, sobbing uncontrollably. "Darling, I'm so sorry," Dominique whispered as blood drops dribbled from her mouth. "Mom, don't say that! The ambulance's on the way; just hold on!" Horatio yelled but to no avail; she was slipping fast. "I'm just happy I saw you two again…" were the last words Dominique said; she died a Thursday afternoon, beaten to death exactly 250 years after the first time her feet touched Earth, and 23 years since she last opened her wings.


End file.
